The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-07-14
What Shall the State do with
theLiquOr Traffic.
To THE CITIZENS OF TENNESSEE:

GENTLEMEN This question is upon
us and it is our duty to meet it intel
ligently and honestly,
During the past few years the tenn
perance movement has been NOV
ing forward No longer do even the
liquor men claim that this reform is
the work of women and weak minded
men.
The time has come when it will be
impossible for a general election to be
held without this question coming up
for settlement. There can be no
compromise, All compromise settle
ments of questions involving princi- !
Pile are always victims for the devil.
The temperance people must event |
ually conquer the dramshop or the
dramshop will conquer the people,
We cannot afford to give this goodly
land of ours into the hands of the Ii
quor traffic. There are thousands OF
patriotic men in this country who
will not cease to pay, work and vote
until this question is settled and set
tle-rightd
On chat ground do the people Of
Tennessee demand the abolition Of the
| HqaortqGc?
From the day the first still worm
sent forth its liquid FIRE the liquor
traffic has beeua blighting bitter curse
to all decency, honor, and virtue. 1t
has been persistently opposed to all law
civilization, morality or religion. 1t
has been the chief cause of pauperism
and crime in this and every land
where it has gained a foothold.
1t is The hot-bed Of lawlessness and Il
school OF vice, ignorance, and vaga-
bondism.
1t is responsible for political cor
ruption and is a direct enemy to both
the state and national government.
Now fellow citizens-ifthese charges
are false all temperance people who
repeat them for time to time are liars,
slanderers and hypocrits and ought to
be horse-whiped out of every public
assembly, If they are true what man
can justify the continued existence
of so,damnable and destructive a traffic
in our midst? Friends, according
to your personal knowledge, do tenn
perance men lie or tell the truth in re-
garG to this matter?
Does any man ever have courage to
defend the saloon business, in the
press or on the platform, as a social
institution or as a blessing to the hui
man family in any respect? With
the fact before you defend it2 True
men have convictions on public ques
tions and are not afraid to speak and
act them out.
If the saloons OF our state are bless
ings to this country, if they give III
better government, if they make goo(
citizens, honest voters, loving hus
bands, happy wives, kind fathers
and bright children, if their infu
ence is toward morality, intelligence
and higher civilization, if they dis
courage Sabbath breaking, proven
crime, pamperism, vice and falls,
swearing, if they bring more love ant
real comforts to our homes and fire
sides, then we are unworthy citizen
ship in this great country, we are I'm
true to our families our country ant
our God if we do not stand by and de
fend the grogshop while we have lif
and strength spared us. But if TIL
contrary is the true record G
the saloon and furthermore if j
brutalizes man, breaks wOmen's heart
and starves helpless children, if
finds victims for jails penitentiarie
and poor houses, if it breeds riots sc
), cialism and anarchy in our cities
corrupts the ballot-bOX and is cor
slant burden upon the tax payers, ho'
, can you or | as honest men ask tn
, protection of this government an
then vote to continue the saloon
Row can we be honest men and cas-
such ballot?
1t is our business to weigh CAREFUL
every argument presented by the !
; quor men. Place all the good it h}
done in one side of the scale and a
t the evil in the other, and give the ira
3 flee the benefit Of every doubt, Grim
} nails get that you know, then consc
! entiously make up our decision.
? ARE THESE YOUR OBJECTIONS no TIL
:. AMENDMENT?
, 1st can't make camphor berr,
mine cider riaegor Spate-biies &c &c
Answer.-Under this law you ca
make and use any drink you pleas
r. You cannot SELL The object is
kill the legalized saloon.
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